Oct. 7: Marcus Washington

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We had a chance to speak with Marcus between practice and a meeting yesterday. Our time was short but I put in as much as I could from you guys.

Marcus had a tough act to follow with the great Williams chat. I think if we had more time it would have been close. This is a fun guy to chat with. Enjoy.

Marcus Washington Chat, Oct. 6, 4:30 p.m.

From Reem10

You seem to have a lot of fun out there on the field and I like the energy you bring. Can you tell us what is different about how Greg Williams uses you here in Washington compared to how you were used in the Colts defensive scheme?

Marcus Washington

In this scheme I’m allowed a little more freedom. They kinda turned me loose a little bit. I’m an aggressive type linebacker, I’m not a guy who wants to sit back. I’m an attacker. Coach Williams gives me that chance to attack. He sends me on blitzes and that’s the type of football I like to play. When a blitz is called in the huddle, and it’s your number, you know, linebackers they’re supposed to smile about that. (Audio Response)

From Art

Seeing you dancing out on the field during the commercial break against Dallas, I just knew you were going to make a big play the series after, and you did. Getting hyped up like that really seemed to help you. In Indy, were you the guy who originated “crunkin’”?

Marcus Washington

You know what? When I was at Indy, I guess that was around the time when a rapper by the name of Littlejohn really had started to take off. He was talking about ‘getting crunked’. We used to talk about ‘getting crunked’ in the huddle and the next thing you know it kind of spread, people had on ‘Get Crunked!’ t-shirts. That place was going crazy. I think that’s part of it. I like to have fun when I play. I think if you’re enthusiastic about something, usually you’re going to do it a lot better and enthusiasm – it spreads. If I can get my entire team and defense, offense, special teams fired up like that, I know we’re going to do well.(Audio Response)

From airborneskins

I was watching the clips of the Cowboys game on Redskins.com and saw that you were screaming with joy as you were running off of the field. As a fan of the Redskins, I want to thank you for your enthusiasm.

Can you tell us what it was like being a part of this rivalry as opposed to any of the Colts rivalries?

Marcus Washington

I don’t know…I think this rivalry is just so historic. You know, the Colts came over from Baltimore to Indianapolis, I guess in the 80’s. But you know the Skins been here for so long, man, this rivalry is so historic – we’re almost a part of history. People were stressing to me how we hadn’t beaten Dallas in 10 years down there, and we were able to go down there and do it. So you know that’s going to go down in the books man. But it’s just great to be a part of it. I know its one of the biggest rivalries in football and it’s just great to be able to do my part and go down in history with some of the other great Redskins players. (Audio Response)

From warren

Congrats on the Pro Bowl last year and the great 3-0 start this year. Can you tell us what the Redskins defense has been saying in regards to the 12th man this year at FedEx? How loud was it on the field during the 4th quarter of the Bears game and for the Seahawks game?

Marcus Washington

Oh man! It was so loud in the Bears game, I remember one time out there they got like 3 penalties back to back to back. So the fans were going crazy. You almost couldn’t hear yourself think. And during the Seattle game, they started off from the word go. They were all into it, the 12th man was fired up. We were kind of coming home, like I said been down in Dallas, got that win, and just coming back. And it was just crazy, to get off to a 3-0 start was huge. The Skins hadn’t done that in like 15 years. We’re on a roll right now, hopefully we can keep it up. (Audio Response)

From redskins55

I've notice your passion and desire on the field and how you’re in on almost every play. Thank you for making the team better with your play and being an emotional leader on the field. My question: With the lack of turnovers arising as an issue with our defense, what do you think it takes to create more turnovers, and would playing LaVar Arrington rectify this problem?

Marcus Washington

You know what? I think we just have to be more focused on it. You know, we’ve knocked the ball out a few times, but wasn’t able to get on it. I think we just, I think it’s really just a concentration thing and really, once we get our first couple of turnovers, I think they’ll start coming. I think definitely playing Lavar will definitely help. Lavar’s a big play, big play linebacker, he can come in and change the game with a big hit, or interception, or sack. Definitely having him in there I think would definitely help. I think as the year goes along, he’ll play more and more. We’re excited about that. (Audio Response)

From leovieira

Congratulations on making your 1st Pro Bowl last year. Hope it will be the 1st of many more to come!!!

What's the deal with Arrington having a difficult time breaking in with regular playing time? I understand that his 'packages' have not been called, but I guess what I'm wondering, with all due respect for Holdman - why isn't he in more 'packages'? He certainly has the physical skills, but is he simply not buying into 'the system'?

Good luck against Denver!!

Marcus Washington

You know what? I think it’s just him having confidence in that leg, just confidence in the system. After he hurt his leg, he kind of missed a lot of stuff, but we were able to be in there and learn Coach William’s defense. So it’s definitely a defense where you have to be in there and kind of be around. But when he hurt his leg, I think it kind of set him back. But I think the better his leg gets and him being around and putting that extra work that he puts into it, I think he’ll be fine. He’ll definitely come up to speed and I think he’ll have more confidence in the defense. He’ll do well and he’ll be the player that everybody’s used to seeing out there. (Audio Response)

From ES Community

It’s really the only question on the minds of everyone at ExtremeSkins. Your answer is critical. So, tell me…

I definitely think so. We as a team, we always say ‘out of many, one’. It kind of means just all of us, in it together, and just being one force, one group out there, and that’s offense, defense, special teams. And the coaching staff, they’ve done such a great job, having us here, preparing together, we just been getting closer and closer because we spend so much time together. But I definitely think something special is going on. As far as last year, a lot of close games we were coming up on the short end, losing, having to take that moral victory. This year we’re able to get a couple more real victories in close games and allow those other teams to have those moral ones (laughs). (Audio Response)

From Isifhan

Thanks for doing these chats, if you haven't noticed we love having you on the skins, you are the identity of the defense.

It has been said that in order for Greg Williams scheme to be successful a player has to know his role and execute it, having faith that the other teammates will be in their respective positions correctly. That being said, how much if any leeway is there to "freelance" and take it upon yourself to make a play even if it means sacrificing your assignment?

Marcus Washington

Well, in this defense, he gives you a lot of tools that you can use out there. Sometimes, you don’t have to play every play a certain way. If you see a better way to play it, you’ve kind of got that freedom to do it. That’s what’s so special about this defense. Even though he gives you little tools within the scheme of the defense, where it seems like you’re free-lancing but it’s just a tool that you’re using. Almost like you’re doing a math problem, and he gives you a calculator to kind of help you make it a little easier. Definitely, you have some leeway and freedoms within the scheme of things. I think that’s where the defense is special. (Audio Response)

From honorary hog

Mr. Washington (double-meaning FULLY intended), man, what a privilege it is to watch you get after it week in and week out. Thanks for working so hard to make the Redskins' D one of the league's elite.

Obviously in Indianapolis, the spotlight was usually on the high-powered offense. Now that you're on a team where the defense is the strength, do you feel like you're finally getting the credit you deserve?

Marcus Washington

Well, I think so. Just like you said, defense is the main attraction here right now. I think that people in DC understand here that you win games with offense, but you definitely win championships with defense. I think as Coach Gibbs said, its been like that when he coached earlier, and we’re trying to get back there now. We want to be a dominating defense, and I’m definitely proud to be a part of something special like what I thinks going on here, not only with the team, but with the defense as well. (Audio Response)

From mccarey032

After losing two key veterans of this defense (Smoot and Pierce), would you comment on the players (Rogers, Harris and Marshall) who have come in and replaced those players? Do you think that the defense is as tight a unit as last year’s defense? Keep up the hard work and the whole city and skins nation is behind you!

Marcus Washington

You know what? I think so. I think we’re just as tight and just as good. And it’s cool, because we’re able to still keep up with those guys, Antonio and Smoot. They’re still our good friends even though they’re in other places. But definitely Lemar’s done a heck of a job at middle linebacker and has made some huge plays for us. He had a pick in the first game, a sack in the last game, and is contributing a lot to the defense. Carlos Rogers and Walt Harris are doing an excellent job at cornerback. You got to take your hat off to Carlos. He’s an Auburn guy, and a young guy, and was able to come in and be an impact player on that defense. Its tough sometimes, you’re out there on an island. You’ve got to take your hat off to Walt also – he’s a crafty veteran, he knows how to take care of his body to help him definitely play well on Sundays and he’s definitely capable of making huge plays, not only on defense, but he can give you some big plays on special teams. We’re lucky to have those guys. (Audio Response)

From rmilton

Living in Northeast Texas, the heart of Dallas Cowboy land and been a Redskins fan it was GREAT to see ya'll (Texas talk for you all) finally beat the Cowboys. How did you and the rest of the team feel about that fantastic finish and victory?

Marcus Washington

After the Dallas victory? Oh man! It was wonderful, just because nobody believed we could go down there and beat them. You know, we were big-time underdogs and it just feels good to do what people say you can’t do. We went down there and we did it as a group and did it on Monday night in front of a national stage. Like I said, we hadn’t beat them down there in10 years, we were kind of almost the homecoming game, they’re retiring jerseys and stuff on the night we were down there. But definitely, it feels great to go down there and get that win and do it in the form that we did it. (Audio Response)

From Todd

Are the goals loftier for the 2005 defense as opposed to the 2004 defense? How do your expectations for 2005 compare to that of 2004?

Marcus Washington

You know, last year we played great defense, we were #1 in the NFC in total defense. I want to say we were #3 in the NFL, but even with that, we were only good enough to be 6-10. So that’s what we were stressing on. We’ve been stressing on it all off-season and all this season. We got off to a 3-0 start, which is good, but it’s still a heck of a lot of football to play. We know we can play a heck of a lot better. We’ve done some good things on defense, but like you said turnovers is an area where we really want to pick up our game. I think we will do it, and once we do it I think the sky’s the limit for this defense and this team. (Audio Response)